A Belle and Her City!

If you’ve lived in Charleston for some time, there’s a good chance you might know Shelley Grant Julian, or possibly someone who knows her. She’s an active member of the local community and one of Charleston’s most ardent supporters.

For the past 22 years, Shelley has put her love of Charleston to good use, selling Charleston Place Hotel and the city’s many treasures to prospective meeting planners. It’s a job that she has performed with great pride and panache, and an equally high level of success. However, after more than two decades with Charleston Place, Shelley is embarking on a new chapter.

In honor of her departure, we asked Shelley to list the “Top 10” things she’ll miss about Charleston Place and sharing her city. In true Shelley fashion, she came back to us with 22. Enjoy!

22. My morning stroll to the office. Birds chirping. Delivery trucks making their morning drop-offs. And local business owners sprucing up their store fronts to welcome the day’s visitors.

21. The beautiful flowers surrounding the fountain at the hotel’s Market Street entrance, which greet me every morning as I arrive at the hotel.

20. The exchange of pleasantries with Olesya, as she prepares my morning cappuccino at the lobby coffee shop.

19. Stopping by the Orient-Express Boutique to pick up my morning copy of the Post and Courier, and sneaking a peak at any new items that have arrived.

18. The expansive views of our magnificent city and the Charleston Harbor from the Club Level lounge on the hotel’s eighth floor.

17. The buzz and energy that emanates from the hotel lobby, as leisure travelers arrive at check-in and group meeting attendees gather to depart on a tour of the city.

15. Settling into my favorite stool (next to the server stand) at the Thoroughbred Club and enjoying my favorite cocktail…the Mouzon Mash.

14. Representing Charleston Place Hotel and working with the wonderful people behind our city’s signature events, including Southeastern Wildlife Exposition, Family Circle Cup and Spoleto Festival USA.

13. Catching up with Dana Berlin during one of our regular “girlfriends lunch out” at a local favorite spot—Jestine’s Kitchen.

12. Savoring every last bite of the Jumbo Lump Crab Salad at the Palmetto Cafe in my favorite booth, which overlooks the Palmetto Courtyard and fountain.

11. Spying my first SALE bag in the hand of a local or tourist walking down King Street, notifying me of the semi-annual shoe sale at Bob Ellis Shoes.

10. Catching sight of the Sullivan’s Island Lighthouse as I cross the Cooper River on my trek home each evening and leaving the events of the day to float away.

9. Enjoying one of Teresa’s famous vodka cocktails and catching up on the news around town at the bar at Charleston Grill.

8. Site inspections with visiting meeting planners. One of the favorite parts of the job, where I get to see a planner’s eyes light up as they tour the hotel and city, and get to see firsthand everything I’ve been telling them about over the phone all this time.

6. Strolling through the Charleston City Market and admiring the renovations, new indoor shops and the goodies at the Historic Charleston Shoppe.

5. Working with a professional, funny and great group sale’s team.

4. Leaving the office for the day and seeing the city alive and buzzing, as locals and visitors finish up shopping or step into another one of the city’s fabulous restaurants for an early bite.

3. Window shopping the Antique District and soaking up the sweet smells of the Jasmine and Tea Olive on lower King during a lunchtime walk to the battery.

2. Circling White Point Gardens and heading back to the office on Meeting Street, stopping to check in with the “Sweet Grass Basket” ladies in front of the Courthouse. They say business is good this spring!

1. All of the amazing people at Charleston Place and throughout the city that I’ve had the pleasure of sharing my life with daily for the past 22 years!

From all of us at Charleston Place, we wish Shelley much happiness on her journey, and look forward to seeing her out and about playing tourist in Charleston.

5 Comments

Annsays:

I have only known Shelly for a short time , but she makes me feel special and is a person i would regard as a friend .

A very smart lady as the photo shows ,with a zest for life who loves meeting people. I wish her all the best xx

I am so proud of you. You are to be admired!
The Charleston Place has lost a true “jewel” and i will miss seeing you on my trips down.
Thanks so much for all your support and guidance with M&M.
let’s stay in touch…..
your friend, Ginger

Shelley and I had some wonderful and amazing site visits together….picnic baskets filled with fried chicken, potato salad, brownies, and such. One of us would unload the car at one of the shelters behind Boone Hall Plantation while the other distracted the guests and told stories about the Wam Pan Cheoni Creek, or the flowers in the field, or the Civil War reinactments that we offer on the back lawn. We would do this same scenario in many places because of this: Charleston Place has everything you need. The guests need to experiece what our city has to offer. That is a creme cheese icing on the red velvet cake! What a pleasure it was plotting for eight years with Shelley on taking care of these clients and selling our city.

I had the pleasure of opening up Charleston Place and a couple years later I was transfered to the Omni Norfolk, where I met Shelley! Then one year later she was transfered to Charleston Place and I moved on to work at the Ritz Carlton Pentagon City. Then fly 16 years later and I am a meeting planner and move to Charleston. Now it has been over the 24 years I have known Shelley. She is by far someone I truly admire professionally and personaly. She represented Charleston Place the “Best Way” possible, with charm and integrity! I wish her the best in her new chapter! Care

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Consistently ranked among the best hotels by the readers of Condé Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure. Charleston Place evokes the feeling of a grand, 17th century residence, from lush personal suites to the Italian marble lobby with signature Georgian Open Arm staircase and 12-foot crystal chandelier.